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de Santiago-Silva KM, Camargo PG, Carvalho Constant LE, Costa SDS, Frensel GB, Allonso D, Nakazato G, Lima CHDS, Bispo MDLF. Molecular modelling studies and in vitro enzymatic assays identified A 4-(nitrobenzyl)guanidine derivative as inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8620. [PMID: 38616188 PMCID: PMC11016540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59292-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Scientists and researchers have been searching for drugs targeting the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, which is crucial for virus replication. This study employed a virtual screening based on molecular docking to identify benzoylguanidines from an in-house chemical library that can inhibit Mpro on the active site and three allosteric sites. Molecular docking was performed on the LaSMMed Chemical Library using 88 benzoylguanidine compounds. Based on their RMSD values and conserved pose, three potential inhibitors (BZG1, BZG2, and BZG3) were selected. These results indicate that BZG1 and BZG3 may bind to the active site, while BZG2 may bind to allosteric sites. Molecular dynamics data suggest that BZG2 selectively targets allosteric site 3. In vitro tests were performed to measure the proteolytic activity of rMpro. The tests showed that BZG2 has uncompetitive inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 77 µM. These findings suggest that benzoylguanidines possess potential as Mpro inhibitors and pave the way towards combating SARS-Cov-2 effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaio Maciel de Santiago-Silva
- Laboratório de Síntese de Moléculas Medicinais (LaSMMed), Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Priscila Goes Camargo
- Laboratório de Síntese de Moléculas Medicinais (LaSMMed), Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Larissa Esteves Carvalho Constant
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Stephany da Silva Costa
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Giovanna Barbosa Frensel
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Diego Allonso
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Gerson Nakazato
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Camilo Henrique da Silva Lima
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelle de Lima Ferreira Bispo
- Laboratório de Síntese de Moléculas Medicinais (LaSMMed), Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil.
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2
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Barbosa H, Espinoza GZ, Amaral M, de Castro Levatti EV, Abiuzi MB, Veríssimo GC, Fernandes PDO, Maltarollo VG, Tempone AG, Honorio KM, Lago JHG. Andrographolide: A Diterpenoid from Cymbopogon schoenanthus Identified as a New Hit Compound against Trypanosoma cruzi Using Machine Learning and Experimental Approaches. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:2565-2576. [PMID: 38148604 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
American Trypanosomiasis, also known as Chagas disease, is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and exhibits limited options for treatment. Natural products offer various structurally complex metabolites with biological activities, including those with anti-T. cruzi potential. The discovery and development of prototypes based on natural products frequently display multiple phases that could be facilitated by machine learning techniques to provide a fast and efficient method for selecting new hit candidates. Using Random Forest and k-Nearest Neighbors, two models were constructed to predict the biological activity of natural products from plants against intracellular amastigotes of T. cruzi. The diterpenoid andrographolide was identified from a virtual screening as a promising hit compound. Hereafter, it was isolated from Cymbopogon schoenanthus and chemically characterized by spectral data analysis. Andrographolide was evaluated against trypomastigote and amastigote forms of T. cruzi, showing IC50 values of 29.4 and 2.9 μM, respectively, while the standard drug benznidazole displayed IC50 values of 17.7 and 5.0 μM, respectively. Additionally, the isolated compound exhibited a reduced cytotoxicity (CC50 = 92.8 μM) against mammalian cells and afforded a selectivity index (SI) of 32, similar to that of benznidazole (SI = 39). From the in silico analyses, we can conclude that andrographolide fulfills many requirements implemented by DNDi to be a hit compound. Therefore, this work successfully obtained machine learning models capable of predicting the activity of compounds against intracellular forms of T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Barbosa
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, São Paulo 09210-180, Brazil
| | | | - Maiara Amaral
- Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | | | | | - Gabriel Correa Veríssimo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Products, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Kathia Maria Honorio
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, São Paulo 09210-180, Brazil
- School of Arts, Science, and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 03828-000, Brazil
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3
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Zahedifard F, Bansal M, Sharma N, Kumar S, Shen S, Singh P, Rathi B, Zoltner M. Phenotypic screening reveals a highly selective phthalimide-based compound with antileishmanial activity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012050. [PMID: 38527083 PMCID: PMC10994559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Pharmacophores such as hydroxyethylamine (HEA) and phthalimide (PHT) have been identified as potential synthons for the development of compounds against various parasitic infections. In order to further advance our progress, we conducted an experiment utilising a collection of PHT and HEA derivatives through phenotypic screening against a diverse set of protist parasites. This approach led to the identification of a number of compounds that exhibited significant effects on the survival of Entamoeba histolytica, Trypanosoma brucei, and multiple life-cycle stages of Leishmania spp. The Leishmania hits were pursued due to the pressing necessity to expand our repertoire of reliable, cost-effective, and efficient medications for the treatment of leishmaniases. Antileishmanials must possess the essential capability to efficiently penetrate the host cells and their compartments in the disease context, to effectively eliminate the intracellular parasite. Hence, we performed a study to assess the effectiveness of eradicating L. infantum intracellular amastigotes in a model of macrophage infection. Among eleven L. infantum growth inhibitors with low-micromolar potency, PHT-39, which carries a trifluoromethyl substitution, demonstrated the highest efficacy in the intramacrophage assay, with an EC50 of 1.2 +/- 3.2 μM. Cytotoxicity testing of PHT-39 in HepG2 cells indicated a promising selectivity of over 90-fold. A chemogenomic profiling approach was conducted using an orthology-based method to elucidate the mode of action of PHT-39. This genome-wide RNA interference library of T. brucei identified sensitivity determinants for PHT-39, which included a P-type ATPase that is crucial for the uptake of miltefosine and amphotericin, strongly indicating a shared route for cellular entry. Notwithstanding the favourable properties and demonstrated efficacy in the Plasmodium berghei infection model, PHT-39 was unable to eradicate L. major infection in a murine infection model of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Currently, PHT-39 is undergoing derivatization to optimize its pharmacological characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Zahedifard
- Drug Discovery and Evaluation Unit, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Biocev, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Meenakshi Bansal
- H. G. Khorana Centre for Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- Department of Chemistry, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram, University of Science & Technology, Murthal, Sonepat Haryana, India
| | - Neha Sharma
- H. G. Khorana Centre for Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram, University of Science & Technology, Murthal, Sonepat Haryana, India
| | - Siqi Shen
- Drug Discovery and Evaluation Unit, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Biocev, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Priyamvada Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- Delhi School of Public Health, Institution of Eminence, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- H. G. Khorana Centre for Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- Delhi School of Public Health, Institution of Eminence, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Martin Zoltner
- Drug Discovery and Evaluation Unit, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Biocev, Vestec, Czech Republic
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4
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Sozanschi A, Asiki H, Amaral M, de Castro Levatti EV, Tempone AG, Wheeler RJ, Anderson EA. Synthesis and Evaluation of (Bis)benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline Alkaloids as Antiparasitic Agents. JACS AU 2024; 4:847-854. [PMID: 38425909 PMCID: PMC10900488 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that severely impact the developing world. With current therapies suffering from poor efficacy and safety profiles as well as emerging resistance, new drug leads are direly needed. In this work, 26 alkaloids (9 natural and 17 synthetic) belonging to the benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BI) family were evaluated against both the pro/trypomastigote and amastigote forms of the parasites Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agents of these diseases. These alkaloids were synthesized via an efficient and modular enantioselective approach based on Bischler-Napieralski cyclization/Noyori asymmetric transfer hydrogenation to build the tetrahydroisoquinoline core. The bis-benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BBI) alkaloids were prepared using an Ullmann coupling of two BI units to form the biaryl ether linkage, which enabled a comprehensive survey of the influence of BI stereochemistry on bioactivity. Preliminary studies into the mechanism of action against Leishmania mexicana demonstrate that these compounds interfere with the cell cycle, potentially through inhibition of kinetoplast division, which may offer opportunities to identify a new target/mechanism of action. Three of the synthesized alkaloids showed promising druglike potential, meeting the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative (DNDi) criteria for a hit against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sozanschi
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - Hannah Asiki
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
- Peter
Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford , OX1 3SY, U.K.
| | - Maiara Amaral
- Laboratory
of Pathophysiology, Butantan Institute, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto
de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, 05403-000 São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Andre G. Tempone
- Laboratory
of Pathophysiology, Butantan Institute, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Richard J. Wheeler
- Peter
Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford , OX1 3SY, U.K.
| | - Edward A. Anderson
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
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5
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Berhe H, Kumar Cinthakunta Sridhar M, Zerihun M, Qvit N. The Potential Use of Peptides in the Fight against Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:227. [PMID: 38399281 PMCID: PMC10892537 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease and leishmaniasis are both neglected tropical diseases that affect millions of people around the world. Leishmaniasis is currently the second most widespread vector-borne parasitic disease after malaria. The World Health Organization records approximately 0.7-1 million newly diagnosed leishmaniasis cases each year, resulting in approximately 20,000-30,000 deaths. Also, 25 million people worldwide are at risk of Chagas disease and an estimated 6 million people are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, miltefosine, paromomycin, and pentamidine are currently used to treat leishmaniasis. Also, nifurtimox and benznidazole are two drugs currently used to treat Chagas disease. These drugs are associated with toxicity problems such as nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, in addition to resistance problems. As a result, the discovery of novel therapeutic agents has emerged as a top priority and a promising alternative. Overall, there is a need for new and effective treatments for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, as the current drugs have significant limitations. Peptide-based drugs are attractive due to their high selectiveness, effectiveness, low toxicity, and ease of production. This paper reviews the potential use of peptides in the treatment of Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. Several studies have demonstrated that peptides are effective against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, suggesting their use in drug therapy for these diseases. Overall, peptides have the potential to be effective therapeutic agents against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, but more research is needed to fully investigate their potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nir Qvit
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel; (H.B.); (M.K.C.S.); (M.Z.)
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Ihnatenko I, Müller MJ, Orban OCF, Lindhof JC, Benítez D, Ortíz C, Dibello E, Seidl LL, Comini MA, Kunick C. The indole motif is essential for the antitrypanosomal activity of N5-substituted paullones. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292946. [PMID: 38032881 PMCID: PMC10688702 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe infections with potentially fatal outcomes are caused by parasites from the genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania (class Kinetoplastea). The diseases affect people of remote areas in the tropics and subtropics with limited access to adequate health care. Besides insufficient diagnostics, treatment options are limited, with tenuous developments in recent years. Therefore, new antitrypanosomal antiinfectives are required to fight these maladies. In the presented approach, new compounds were developed and tested on the target trypanothione synthetase (TryS). This enzyme is crucial to the kinetoplastids' unique trypanothione-based thiol redox metabolism and thus for pathogen survival. Preceding studies have shown that N5-substituted paullones display antitrypanosomal activity as well as TryS inhibition. Herein, this compound class was further examined regarding the structure-activity relationships (SAR). Diverse benzazepinone derivatives were designed and tested in cell-based assays on bloodstream Trypanosoma brucei brucei (T. b. brucei) and intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) as well as in enzyme-based assays on L. infantum TryS (LiTryS) and T. b. brucei TryS (TbTryS). While an exchange of just the substituent in the 9-position of paullones led to potent inhibitors on LiTryS and T. b. brucei parasites, new compounds lacking the indole moiety showed a total loss of activity in both assays. Conclusively, the indole as part of the paullone structure is pivotal for keeping the TryS inhibitory and antitrypanosomal activity of this substance class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Ihnatenko
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marco J Müller
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Oliver C F Orban
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jens C Lindhof
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Diego Benítez
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cecilia Ortíz
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Estefanía Dibello
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Síntesis Orgánica, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Leonardo L Seidl
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Conrad Kunick
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
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Tulloch LB, Carvalho S, Lima M, Wall RJ, Tinti M, Pinto EG, MacLean L, Wyllie S. RES-Seq-a barcoded library of drug-resistant Leishmania donovani allowing rapid assessment of cross-resistance and relative fitness. mBio 2023; 14:e0180323. [PMID: 37929970 PMCID: PMC10746238 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01803-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease endemic across multiple regions of the world and is fatal if untreated. New therapeutic options with diverse mechanisms of actions (MoAs) are required to consolidate progress toward control of this disease and combat drug resistance. Here, we describe the development of a scalable resistance library screen (RES-Seq) as a tool to facilitate the identification and prioritization of anti-leishmanial compounds acting via novel MoA. We have amassed a large collection of Leishmania donovani cell lines resistant to frontline drugs and compounds in the VL pipeline, with resistance-conferring mutations fully characterized. New phenotypic hits screened against this highly curated panel of resistant lines can determine cross-resistance and potentially shared MoA. The ability to efficiently identify compounds acting via previously established MoA is vital to maintain diversity within drug development portfolios. To expedite screening, short identifier DNA barcodes were introduced into resistant clones enabling pooling and simultaneous screening of multiple cell lines. Illumina sequencing of barcodes enables the growth kinetics and relative fitness of multiple cell lines under compound selection to be tracked. Optimal conditions allowing discrimination of resistant and sensitive clones were established (3× and 10× EC50 for 3 days) and applied to screening of a complex library with VL preclinical and clinical drug candidates. RES-Seq is set to play an important role in ensuring that anti-leishmanial compounds exploiting diverse mechanisms of action are developed, ultimately providing options for future drug combination strategies.IMPORTANCEVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) remains the third largest parasitic killer worldwide, responsible for 20,000-30,000 deaths each year. Control and ultimate elimination of VL will require a range of therapeutic options with diverse mechanisms of action to combat drug resistance. One approach to ensure that compounds in development exploit diverse mechanisms of action is to screen them against highly curated cell lines resistant to drugs already in the VL pipeline. The identification of cross-resistant cell lines indicates that test compounds are likely acting via previously established mechanisms. Current cross-resistance screens are limited by the requirement to profile individual resistant cell lines one at a time. Here, we introduce unique DNA barcodes into multiple resistant cell lines to facilitate parallel profiling. Utilizing the power of Illumina sequencing, growth kinetics and relative fitness under compound selection can be monitored revolutionizing our ability to identify and prioritize compounds acting via novel mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay B. Tulloch
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra Carvalho
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Lima
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Wall
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Tinti
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Erika G. Pinto
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Lorna MacLean
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Susan Wyllie
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
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8
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Amaral M, Asiki H, Sear CE, Singh S, Pieper P, Haugland MM, Anderson EA, Tempone AG. Biological activity and structure-activity relationship of dehydrodieugenol B analogues against visceral leishmaniasis. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:1344-1350. [PMID: 37484568 PMCID: PMC10357944 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00081h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected protozoan disease with high mortality. Existing treatments exhibit a number of limitations, resulting in a significant challenge for public health, especially in developing countries in which the disease is endemic. With a limited pipeline of potential drugs in clinical trials, natural products could offer an attractive source of new pharmaceutical prototypes, not least due to their high chemodiversity. In the present work, a study of anti-L. (L.) infantum potential was carried out for a series of 39 synthetic compounds based on the core scaffold of the neolignan dehydrodieugenol B. Of these, 14 compounds exhibited activity against intracellular amastigotes, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values between 3.0 and 32.7 μM. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis demonstrated a requirement for polar functionalities to improve activity. Lacking mammalian cytotoxicity and presenting the highest potency against the clinically relevant form of the parasite, compound 24 emerged as the most promising, fulfilling the hit criteria for visceral leishmaniasis defined by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). This study emphasizes the potential of dehydrodieugenol B analogues as new candidates for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis and suggests 24 to be a suitable compound for future optimization, including mechanism of action and pharmacokinetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiara Amaral
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo Sao Paulo - 05403-000 Brazil
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz São Paulo - 01246-000 Brazil
| | - Hannah Asiki
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Claire E Sear
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Snigdha Singh
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Pauline Pieper
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Marius M Haugland
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Edward A Anderson
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Andre G Tempone
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz São Paulo - 01246-000 Brazil
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9
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Varela MT, Romanelli M, Amaral M, Tempone AG, Fernandes JPS. Piperazine amides with desirable solubility, physicochemical and drug-like properties: Synthesis and evaluation of the anti- Trypanosoma cruzi activity. Saudi Pharm J 2023; 31:1265-1273. [PMID: 37287509 PMCID: PMC10242637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The absence of effective chronic treatment, expansion to non-endemic countries and the significant burden in public health have stimulated the search for novel therapeutic options to treat Chagas disease, a protozoan disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Despite current efforts, no new drug candidates were approved in clinical trials in the past five decades. Considering this, our group has focused on the expansion of a series (LINS03) with low micromolar activity against amastigotes, considering the optimization of pharmacokinetic properties through increasing drug-likeness and solubility. In this work, we report a new set of 13 compounds with modifications in both the arylpiperazine and the aromatic region linked by an amide group. Five analogues showed activity against intracellular amastigotes (IC50 17.8 to 35.9 µM) and no relevant cytotoxicity to mammalian cells (CC50 > 200 µM). Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to identify structural features associated to improved activity. The data revealed that polarity, hydrogen bonding ability and flexibility were key properties that influenced the antiparasitic activity. In silico drug-likeness assessments indicated that compounds with the 4-methoxycinammyl (especially compound 2b) had the most prominent balance between properties and activity in the series, as confirmed by SAR analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina T. Varela
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu 740, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua São Nicolau 210, 09913-030 Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Maiara Romanelli
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 351, 01246-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maiara Amaral
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Andre G. Tempone
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 351, 01246-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - João Paulo S. Fernandes
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua São Nicolau 210, 09913-030 Diadema, SP, Brazil
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10
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Araujo-Lima CF, de Cassia Castro Carvalho R, Rosario SL, Leite DI, Aguiar ACC, de Souza Santos LV, de Araujo JS, Salomão K, Kaiser CR, Krettli AU, Bastos MM, Aiub CAF, de Nazaré Correia Soeiro M, Boechat N, Felzenszwalb I. Antiplasmodial, Trypanocidal, and Genotoxicity In Vitro Assessment of New Hybrid α,α-Difluorophenylacetamide-statin Derivatives. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:782. [PMID: 37375730 DOI: 10.3390/ph16060782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Statins present a plethora of pleiotropic effects including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial responses. A,α-difluorophenylacetamides, analogs of diclofenac, are potent pre-clinical anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs. Molecular hybridization based on the combination of pharmacophoric moieties has emerged as a strategy for the development of new candidates aiming to obtain multitarget ligands. METHODS Considering the anti-inflammatory activity of phenylacetamides and the potential microbicidal action of statins against obligate intracellular parasites, the objective of this work was to synthesize eight new hybrid compounds of α,α-difluorophenylacetamides with the moiety of statins and assess their phenotypic activity against in vitro models of Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma cruzi infection besides exploring their genotoxicity safety profile. RESULTS None of the sodium salt compounds presented antiparasitic activity and two acetated compounds displayed mild anti-P. falciparum effect. Against T. cruzi, the acetate halogenated hybrids showed moderate effect against both parasite forms relevant for human infection. Despite the considerable trypanosomicidal activity, the brominated compound revealed a genotoxic profile impairing future in vivo testing. CONCLUSIONS However, the chlorinated derivative was the most promising compound with chemical and biological profitable characteristics, without presenting genotoxicity in vitro, being eligible for further in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Fernando Araujo-Lima
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, LBC Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Ambiental, LabMut Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, IBRAG-UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 22050-020, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Molecular e Celular, Instituto Biomédico-UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rita de Cassia Castro Carvalho
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, PGQu, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sandra Loureiro Rosario
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Debora Inacio Leite
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal, ICB-UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Anna Caroline Campos Aguiar
- Laboratório de Malária, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, CPqRR-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte 30190-002, MG, Brazil
| | - Lizandra Vitoria de Souza Santos
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Ambiental, LabMut Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, IBRAG-UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 22050-020, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Kelly Salomão
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, LBC Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Roland Kaiser
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, PGQu, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, RJ, Brazil
| | - Antoniana Ursine Krettli
- Laboratório de Malária, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, CPqRR-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte 30190-002, MG, Brazil
| | - Monica Macedo Bastos
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Claudia Alessandra Fortes Aiub
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Molecular e Celular, Instituto Biomédico-UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Nubia Boechat
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Israel Felzenszwalb
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Ambiental, LabMut Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, IBRAG-UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 22050-020, RJ, Brazil
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11
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Schirmann JG, Bortoleti BTS, Gonçalves MD, Tomiotto-Pellissier F, Camargo PG, Miranda-Sapla MM, Lima CHS, Bispo MLF, Costa IN, Conchon-Costa I, Pavanelli WR, Dekker RFH, Barbosa-Dekker AM. In-vitro biological evaluation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethoxy-biphenyl-4,4'-diol and molecular docking studies on trypanothione reductase and Gp63 from Leishmania amazonensis demonstrated anti-leishmania potential. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6928. [PMID: 37117253 PMCID: PMC10147928 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34124-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Available treatments for leishmaniasis have been widely used since the 1940s but come at a high cost, variable efficacy, high toxicity, and adverse side-effects. 3,3',5,5'-Tetramethoxy-biphenyl-4,4'-diol (TMBP) was synthesized through laccase-catalysis of 2,6-dimethoxyphenol and displayed antioxidant and anticancer activity, and is considered a potential drug candidate. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-leishmanial effect of TMBP against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis and investigated the mechanisms involved in parasite death. TMBP treatment inhibited the proliferation (IC50 0.62-0.86 µM) and induced the death of promastigote forms by generating reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial dysfunction. In intracellular amastigotes, TMBP reduced the percentage of infected macrophages, being 62.7 times more selective to the parasite (CC50 53.93 µM). TMBP did not hemolyze sheep erythrocytes; indicative of low cytotoxicity. Additionally, molecular docking analysis on two enzyme targets of L. amazonensis: trypanothione reductase (TR) and leishmanolysin (Gp63), suggested that the hydroxyl group could be a pharmacophoric group due to its binding affinity by hydrogen bonds with residues at the active site of both enzymes. TMBP was more selective to the Gp63 target than TR. This is the first report that TMBP is a promising compound to act as an anti-leishmanial agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéseka G Schirmann
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
| | - Bruna T S Bortoleti
- Fiocruz, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências e Biotecnologia, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Manoela D Gonçalves
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Tomiotto-Pellissier
- Fiocruz, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências e Biotecnologia, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Priscila G Camargo
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Milena M Miranda-Sapla
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Camilo H S Lima
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelle L F Bispo
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Idessania N Costa
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Ivete Conchon-Costa
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Wander R Pavanelli
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Robert F H Dekker
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Câmpus de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Aneli M Barbosa-Dekker
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
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12
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Araujo-Lima CF, Carvalho RDCC, Peres RB, Fiuza LFDA, Galvão BVD, Castelo-Branco FS, Bastos MM, Boechat N, Felzenszwalb I, Soeiro MDNC. In silico and in vitro assessment of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi efficacy, genotoxicity and pharmacokinetics of pentasubstituted pyrrolic Atorvastatin-aminoquinoline hybrid compounds. Acta Trop 2023; 242:106924. [PMID: 37037291 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Atorvastatin (AVA) is a third-generation statin with several pleiotropic effects, considered the last synthetic pharmaceutical blockbuster. Recently, our group described the effects of AVA on DNA damage prevention and against Trypanosoma cruzi infection. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and in silico pharmacokinetic profile of four hybrids of aminoquinolines with AVA 4a-d against T. cruzi using in vitro and in silico models. These synthetic compounds were designed by hybridization of the pentapyrrolic moiety of AVA with the aminoquinolinic unit of chloroquine or primaquine. Pharmacokinetics (ADME) and toxicity parameters were predicted by SwissADME, admetSAR and LAZAR in silico algorithms. The trypanocidal activity of AVA-quinoline hybrids were evaluated in vitro against amastigotes and trypomastigotes of T. cruzi, from Y (Tc II) and Tulahuen (Tc VI) strains. In vitro cardiocytotoxicity was assessed using primary cultures of mouse embryonic cardiac cells and in vitro hepatocytotoxicity on bidimensional and 3D-cultured HepG2 cells. Genotoxicity was evaluated by Ames test and micronucleus assay. Despite the overall good in silico ADMET profile, all tested compounds were predicted to be hepatotoxic. All hybrid derivatives presented high trypanocidal activity, against both trypomastigote and intracellular forms of T. cruzi, presenting EC50's lower than 1 µM besides superior selectivity than the reference drug, without evidences of cardiotoxicity in vitro. The compounds 4a and 4b presented a time-dependent toxicity in monolayer culture of HepG2 but no detectable toxic effects in their spheroids, opposing to the in silico prediction. We can conclude that the AVA-aminoquinoline hybrids presented a hit profile as antiparasitic agents in synthetic pharmaceutical innovation platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Fernando Araujo-Lima
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Laboratory of Cell Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Rio de Janeiro State Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rita de Cássia Castro Carvalho
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Raiza Brandão Peres
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Bárbara Verena Dias Galvão
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Frederico S Castelo-Branco
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mônica Macedo Bastos
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Nubia Boechat
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Israel Felzenszwalb
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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13
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Synthesis, characterization, antioxidant and antiparasitic activities new naphthyl-thiazole derivatives. Exp Parasitol 2023; 248:108498. [PMID: 36907541 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
In this work, 13 thiosemicarbazones (1a - m) and 16 thiazoles (2a - p) were obtained, which were properly characterized by spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques. The pharmacokinetic properties obtained in silico revealed that the derivatives are in accordance with the parameters established by lipinski and veber, showing that such compounds have good bioavailability or permeability when administered orally. In assays of antioxidant activity, thiosemicarbazones showed moderate to high antioxidant potential when compared to thiazoles. In addition, they were able to interact with albumin and DNA. Screening assays to assess the toxicity of compounds to mammalian cells revealed that thiosemicarbazones were less toxic when compared to thiazoles. In relation to in vitro antiparasitic activity, thiosemicarbazones and thiazoles showed cytotoxic potential against the parasites Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi. Among the compounds, 1b, 1j and 2l stood out, showing inhibition potential for the amastigote forms of the two parasites. As for the in vitro antimalarial activity, thiosemicarbazones did not inhibit Plasmodium falciparum growth. In contrast, thiazoles promoted growth inhibition. This study shows in a preliminary way that the synthesized compounds have antiparasitic potential in vitro.
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14
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Sabt A, Eldehna WM, Ibrahim TM, Bekhit AA, Batran RZ. New antileishmanial quinoline linked isatin derivatives targeting DHFR-TS and PTR1: Design, synthesis, and molecular modeling studies. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 246:114959. [PMID: 36493614 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In a search for new drug candidates for one of the neglected tropical diseases, leishmaniasis, twenty quinoline-isatin hybrids were synthesized and tested for their in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmaniamajor strain. All the synthesized compounds showed promising in vitro activity against the promastigote form in a low micromolar range (IC50 = 0.5084-5.9486 μM) superior to the reference miltefosine (IC50 = 7.8976 μM). All the target compounds were then tested against the intracellular amastigote form and showed promising inhibition effects (IC50 = 0.60442-8.2948 μM versus 8.08 μM for miltefosine). Compounds 4e, 4b and 4f were shown to possess the highest antileishmanial activity against both promastigote and amastigote forms. The most active compounds were proven to exhibit their significant antileishmanial effects through antifolate mechanism, targeting DHFR-TS and PTR1. To evaluate the safety profile of the most active derivatives 4e, 4b and 4f, the in vitro cytotoxicity test was carried out and displayed higher selectivity indices than the reference miltefosine. Molecular docking within putative target protein PTR1 confirmed the high potentiality of the most active compounds 4e, 4b and 4f to block the catalytic activity of Lm-PTR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Sabt
- Chemistry of Natural Compounds Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, 12622, Egypt
| | - Wagdy M Eldehna
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, 33516, Egypt; School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo, Badr City, 11829, Egypt
| | - Tamer M Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, 33516, Egypt; Bioinformatics Group, Center for Informatics Sciences (CIS), School of Information Technology and Computer Science (ITCS), Nile University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Adnan A Bekhit
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21521, Egypt; Pharmacy Program, Allied Health Department, College of Health Sciences, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038, Bahrain
| | - Rasha Z Batran
- Chemistry of Natural Compounds Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, 12622, Egypt.
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15
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Correa-Barbosa J, Sodré DF, Nascimento PHC, Dolabela MF. Activity of the genus Zanthoxylum against diseases caused by protozoa: A systematic review. Front Pharmacol 2023; 13:873208. [PMID: 36699053 PMCID: PMC9868958 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.873208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neglected diseases (NDs) are treated with a less varied range of drugs, with high cost and toxicity, which makes the search for therapeutic alternatives important. In this context, plants, such as those from the genus Zanthoxylum, can be promising due to active substances in their composition. This study evaluates the potential of species from this genus to treat NDs. Initially, a protocol was developed to carry out a systematic review approved by Prospero (CRD42020200438). The databases PubMed, BVS, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science were used with the following keywords: "zanthoxylum," "xanthoxylums," "fagaras," "leishmaniasis," "chagas disease," "malaria," and "African trypanosomiasis." Two independent evaluators analyzed the title and abstract of 166 articles, and 122 were excluded due to duplicity or for not meeting the inclusion criteria. From the 44 selected articles, results of in vitro/in vivo tests were extracted. In vitro studies showed that Z. rhoifolium, through the alkaloid nitidine, was active against Plasmodium (IC50 <1 μg/ml) and Leishmania (IC50 <8 μg/ml), and selective for both (>10 and >30, respectively). For Chagas disease, the promising species (IC50 <2 μg/ml) were Z. naranjillo and Z. minutiflorum, and for sleeping sickness, the species Z. zanthoxyloides (IC50 <4 μg/ml) stood out. In the in vivo analysis, the most promising species were Z. rhoifolium and Z. chiloperone. In summary, the species Z. rhoifolium, Z. naranjillo, Z. minutiflorum, Z. zanthoxyloides, and Z. chiloperone are promising sources of active molecules for the treatment of NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Correa-Barbosa
- Pharmaceutical Science Post-graduation Programx, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria Fâni Dolabela
- Pharmaceutical Science Post-graduation Programx, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil,Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil,*Correspondence: Maria Fâni Dolabela,
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16
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Identification of Aryl Polyamines Derivatives as Anti- Trypanosoma cruzi Agents Targeting Iron Superoxide Dismutase. Pharmaceutics 2022; 15:pharmaceutics15010140. [PMID: 36678771 PMCID: PMC9863987 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a tropical and potentially fatal infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Although CD was limited to Latin America as a silent disease, CD has become widespread as a result of globalization. Currently, 6-8 million people are infected worldwide, and no effective treatment is available. Here, we identify new effective agents against T. cruzi. In short, 16 aryl polyamines were screened in vitro against different T. cruzi strains, and lead compounds were evaluated in vivo after oral administration in both the acute and chronic infections. The mode of action was also evaluated at the energetic level, and its high activity profile could be ascribed to a mitochondria-dependent bioenergetic collapse and redox stress by inhibition of the Fe-SOD enzyme. We present compound 15 as a potential compound that provides a step forward for the development of new agents to combat CD.
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Isopropyl Gallate, a Gallic Acid Derivative: In Silico and In Vitro Investigation of Its Effects on Leishmania major. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122701. [PMID: 36559198 PMCID: PMC9787715 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Isopropyl gallate (IPG) is a polyphenol obtained from alterations in the gallic acid molecule via acid catalysis with previously reported leishmanicidal and trypanocidal activities. The present study aims to evaluate in silico binding activity towards some targets for antileishmanial chemotherapy against Leishmania major species, and ADMET parameters for IPG, as well as in vitro antileishmanial and cytotoxic effects. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDockVina and BIOVIA Discovery Studio software, whereas in silico analysis used SwissADME, PreADMET and admetSAR software. In vitro antileishmanial activity on promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania major, cytotoxicity and macrophages activation were assessed. IPG exhibited affinity for pteridine reductase (PTR1; -8.2 kcal/mol) and oligopeptidase B (OPB; -8.0 kcal/mol) enzymes. ADMET assays demonstrated good lipophilicity, oral bioavailability, and skin permeability, as well as non-mutagenic, non-carcinogenic properties and low risk of cardiac toxicity for IPG. Moreover, IPG inhibited the in vitro growth of promastigotes (IC50 = 90.813 µM), presented significant activity against amastigotes (IC50 = 13.45 μM), promoted low cytotoxicity in macrophages (CC50 = 1260 μM), and increased phagocytic capacity. These results suggest IPG is more selectively toxic to the parasite than to mammalian cells. IPG demonstrated acceptable in silico pharmacokinetics parameters, and reduced infection and infectivity in parasitized macrophages, possibly involving macrophage activation pathways and inhibition of leishmania enzymes.
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18
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Galhardo TS, Ueno AK, Costa-Silva TA, Tempone AG, Carvalho WA, Fischmeister C, Bruneau C, Mandelli D, Lago JHG. New derivatives from dehydrodieugenol B and its methyl ether displayed high anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity and cause depolarization of the plasma membrane and collapse the mitochondrial membrane potential. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 366:110129. [PMID: 36067825 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the present work, dehydrodieugenol B (1) and its methyl ether (2), isolated from Nectandra leucantha twigs, were used as starting material for the preparation of two new derivatives (1a and 2a) containing an additional methoxycarbonyl unit on allyl side chains. Compounds 1a and 2a demonstrated activity against trypomastigotes (EC50 values of 13.5 and 23.0 μM, respectively) and against intracellular amastigotes (EC50 values of 10.2 and 6.1 μM, respectively). Additionally, compound 2a demonstrated no mammalian cytotoxicity up to 200 μM whereas compound 1a exhibited a CC50 value of 139.8 μM. The mechanism of action studies of compounds 1a and 2a demonstrated a significant depolarization of the plasma membrane potential in trypomastigotes, followed by a mitochondrial membrane potential collapse. Neither calcium level nor reactive oxygen species alterations were observed after a short-time incubation. Considering the potential of compound 2a against T. cruzi and its simple preparation from the natural product 2, isolated from N. leucantha, this compound could be considered a new hit for future drug design studies in Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalita S Galhardo
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Anderson K Ueno
- Institute of Environmental, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, 09972-270, Brazil
| | - Thaís A Costa-Silva
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, 09210-580, Brazil; SENAI Institute of Innovation in Biotechnology, 01130-000, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André G Tempone
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Wagner A Carvalho
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Cedric Fischmeister
- Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes, University of Rennes, Rennes, UMR6226, 35000, France
| | - Christian Bruneau
- Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes, University of Rennes, Rennes, UMR6226, 35000, France
| | - Dalmo Mandelli
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, 09210-580, Brazil.
| | - João Henrique G Lago
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, 09210-580, Brazil.
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Fontes JV, Santos IA, Rosa LB, Lima RLA, Jardim ACG, Miguel DC, Abbehausen C. Antileishmanial and Anti‐Chikungunya Activity of Cu(I)‐N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202201560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Josielle V. Fontes
- Institute of Chemistry University of Campinas - UNICAMP PO Box 6154 13083-970 Campinas SP Brazil
| | - Igor A. Santos
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Federal University of Uberlândia Uberlandia MG Brazil
| | - Letícia B. Rosa
- Institute of Biology University of Campinas - UNICAMP 13083-862 Campinas SP Brazil
| | - Rochanna L. A. Lima
- Institute of Chemistry University of Campinas - UNICAMP PO Box 6154 13083-970 Campinas SP Brazil
| | - Ana C. G. Jardim
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Federal University of Uberlândia Uberlandia MG Brazil
| | - Danilo C. Miguel
- Institute of Biology University of Campinas - UNICAMP 13083-862 Campinas SP Brazil
| | - Camilla Abbehausen
- Institute of Chemistry University of Campinas - UNICAMP PO Box 6154 13083-970 Campinas SP Brazil
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20
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Romanelli M, Amaral M, Thevenard F, Santa Cruz LM, Regasini LO, Migotto AE, Lago JHG, Tempone AG. Mitochondrial Imbalance of Trypanosoma cruzi Induced by the Marine Alkaloid 6-Bromo-2'-de- N-Methylaplysinopsin. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:28561-28570. [PMID: 35990437 PMCID: PMC9387129 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c03395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, affects seven million people worldwide and lacks effective treatments. Using bioactivity-guided fractionation, NMR, and electrospray ionization-high resolution mass spectrometry (ESI-HRMS) spectral analysis, the indole alkaloid 6-bromo-2'-de-N-methylaplysinopsin (BMA) was isolated and chemically characterized from the marine coral Tubastraea tagusensis. BMA was tested against trypomastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of T. cruzi, resulting in IC50 values of 62 and 5.7 μM, respectively, with no mammalian cytotoxicity. The mechanism of action studies showed that BMA induced no alterations in the plasma membrane permeability but caused depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, reducing ATP levels. Intracellular calcium levels were also reduced after the treatment, which was associated with pH alteration of acidocalcisomes. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF)/MS analysis, alterations of mass spectral signals were observed after treatment with BMA, suggesting a different mechanism from benznidazole. In silico pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PKPD) parameters suggested a drug-likeness property, supporting the promising usefulness of this compound as a new hit for optimizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiara
M. Romanelli
- Centre
for Parasitology and Mycology, Adolfo Lutz
Institute, Av Dr Arnaldo 351, São Paulo, SP 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Maiara Amaral
- Centre
for Parasitology and Mycology, Adolfo Lutz
Institute, Av Dr Arnaldo 351, São Paulo, SP 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Thevenard
- Centre
of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal
University of ABC (UFABC), Avenida dos Estados 5001, Santo Andre, SP 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Lucas M. Santa Cruz
- Department
of Organic Contaminants, Instituto Adolfo
Lutz, Av Dr Arnaldo 355, São Paulo, SP 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Luis O. Regasini
- Department
of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Biosciences,
Humanities and Exact Sciences, Universidade
Estadual Paulista, R. Cristóvão Colombo 2265, São
Jose do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Alvaro E. Migotto
- Centre
for Marine Biology, Universidade de São
Paulo, Rodovia Manoel Hypólito do Rego, Km 131, São Sebastião, São Paulo, SP 11600-000, Brazil
| | - João Henrique G. Lago
- Centre
of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal
University of ABC (UFABC), Avenida dos Estados 5001, Santo Andre, SP 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Andre G. Tempone
- Centre
for Parasitology and Mycology, Adolfo Lutz
Institute, Av Dr Arnaldo 351, São Paulo, SP 01246-000, Brazil
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21
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Barreiro-Costa O, Quiroga Lozano C, Muñoz E, Rojas-Silva P, Medeiros A, Comini MA, Heredia-Moya J. Evaluation of the Anti- Leishmania mexicana and - Trypanosoma brucei Activity and Mode of Action of 4,4'-(Arylmethylene)bis(3-methyl-1-phenyl-1 H-pyrazol-5-ol). Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081913. [PMID: 36009460 PMCID: PMC9405596 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis are neglected infections caused by trypanosomatid parasites. The first-line treatments have many adverse effects, high costs, and are prone to resistance development, hence the necessity for new chemotherapeutic options. In line with this, twenty five 4,4′-(arylmethylene)bis(1H-pyrazol-5-ols) derivatives were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their anti-trypanosomatid activity. Ten and five compounds from this series showed IC50 ≤ 10 µM against the promastigote and the bloodstream stage of Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma brucei brucei, respectively. Overall, derivatives with pyrazole rings substituted with electron-withdrawing groups proved more active than those with electron-donating groups. The hits proved moderately selective towards L. mexicana and T. brucei (selectivity index, SI, compared to murine macrophages = 5−26). The exception was one derivative displaying an SI (>111−189) against T. brucei that surpassed, by >6-fold, the selectivity of the clinical drug nifurtimox (SI = 13−28.5). Despite sharing a common scaffold, the hits differed in their mechanism of action, with halogenated derivatives inducing a rapid and marked intracellular oxidative milieu in infective T. brucei. Notably, most of the hits presented better absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties than the reference drugs. Several of the bioactive molecules herein identified represent a promising starting point for further improvement of their trypanosomatid potency and selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olalla Barreiro-Costa
- Center for Biomedical Research (CENBIO), Eugenio Espejo College of Health Sciences, Universidad UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Cristina Quiroga Lozano
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Erika Muñoz
- Instituto de Microbiología y Programa de Maestría en Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Patricio Rojas-Silva
- Center for Biomedical Research (CENBIO), Eugenio Espejo College of Health Sciences, Universidad UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
- Instituto de Microbiología y Programa de Maestría en Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Andrea Medeiros
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A. Comini
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
- Correspondence: (M.A.C.); (J.H.-M.)
| | - Jorge Heredia-Moya
- Center for Biomedical Research (CENBIO), Eugenio Espejo College of Health Sciences, Universidad UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
- Correspondence: (M.A.C.); (J.H.-M.)
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22
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5-Nitroindazole-based compounds: further studies for activity optimization as anti-Trypanosoma cruzi agents. Acta Trop 2022; 234:106607. [PMID: 35907502 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, a new series of eleven 5-nitroindazole derivatives (10-20) and a related 6-nitroquinazoline (21) was synthesized and tested in vitro against different forms of the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, etiological agent of Chagas disease. Among these compounds, derivatives 11-14 and 17 showed trypanocidal profiles on epimastigotes (IC50 = 1.00-8.75 µM) considerably better than that of the reference drug benznidazole, BZ (IC50 = 25.22 µM). Furthermore, the lack of cytotoxicity observed for compounds 11, 12, 14, 17 and 18 over L929 fibroblasts, led to a notable selectivity (SI) on the extracellular replicative form of the parasite: SIEPI > 12.41 to > 256 µM. Since these five derivatives overpassed the cut-off value established by BZ (SIEPI ≥ 10), they were moved to a more specific assay against the intracellular and replicative form of T. cruzi, i.e, amastigotes. These molecules were not as active as BZ (IC50 = 0.57 µM) against this parasite form; however, all of them showed remarkable IC50 values lower than 7 µM. Special mention deserve compounds 12 and 17, whose SIAMA were > 246.15 and > 188.23, respectively. The results compiled in the present work, point to a positive impact over the trypanocidal activity of the electron withdrawing substituents introduced at position 2 of the N-2 benzyl moiety of these compounds, especially fluorine, i.e., derivatives 12 and 17. These outcomes, supported by the in silico prediction of good oral bioavailability and suitable risk profile, reinforce the 5-nitroindazole scaffold as an adequate template for preparing potential antichagasic agents.
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23
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Repurposing of MitoTam: Novel Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate Exhibits Potent Activity against Major Protozoan and Fungal Pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0072722. [PMID: 35856666 PMCID: PMC9380531 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00727-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the currently available anti-parasitic and anti-fungal frontline drugs have severe limitations, including adverse side effects, complex administration, and increasing occurrence of resistance. The discovery and development of new therapeutic agents is a costly and lengthy process. Therefore, repurposing drugs with already established clinical application offers an attractive, fast-track approach for novel treatment options. In this study, we show that the anti-cancer drug candidate MitoTam, a mitochondria-targeted analog of tamoxifen, efficiently eliminates a wide range of evolutionarily distinct pathogens in vitro, including pathogenic fungi, Plasmodium falciparum, and several species of trypanosomatid parasites, causative agents of debilitating neglected tropical diseases. MitoTam treatment was also effective in vivo and significantly reduced parasitemia of two medically important parasites, Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma brucei, in their respective animal infection models. Functional analysis in the bloodstream form of T. brucei showed that MitoTam rapidly altered mitochondrial functions, particularly affecting cellular respiration, lowering ATP levels, and dissipating mitochondrial membrane potential. Our data suggest that the mode of action of MitoTam involves disruption of the inner mitochondrial membrane, leading to rapid organelle depolarization and cell death. Altogether, MitoTam is an excellent candidate drug against several important pathogens, for which there are no efficient therapies and for which drug development is not a priority.
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24
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Martín-Escolano J, Marín C, Rosales MJ, Tsaousis AD, Medina-Carmona E, Martín-Escolano R. An Updated View of the Trypanosoma cruzi Life Cycle: Intervention Points for an Effective Treatment. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1107-1115. [PMID: 35652513 PMCID: PMC9194904 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Chagas disease (CD)
is a parasitic, systemic, chronic, and often
fatal illness caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma
cruzi. The World Health Organization classifies CD as the
most prevalent of poverty-promoting neglected tropical diseases, the
most important parasitic one, and the third most infectious disease
in Latin America. Currently, CD is a global public health issue that
affects 6–8 million people. However, the current approved treatments
are limited to two nitroheterocyclic drugs developed more than 50
years ago. Many efforts have been made in recent decades to find new
therapies, but our limited understanding of the infection process,
pathology development, and long-term nature of this disease has made
it impossible to develop new drugs, effective treatment, or vaccines.
This Review aims to provide a comprehensive update on our understanding
of the current life cycle, new morphological forms, and genetic diversity
of T. cruzi, as well as identify intervention points
in the life cycle where new drugs and treatments could achieve a parasitic
cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martín-Escolano
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Seville, E41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - María J. Rosales
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Anastasios D. Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, U.K
| | - Encarnación Medina-Carmona
- Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, U.K
| | - Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, U.K
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25
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Rocha YM, Magalhães EP, de Medeiros Chaves M, Machado Marinho M, Nascimento E Melo de Oliveira V, Nascimento de Oliveira R, Lima Sampaio T, de Menezes RRPPB, Martins AMC, Nicolete R. Antiparasitary and antiproliferative activities in vitro of a 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivative on Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2141-2156. [PMID: 35610523 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07554-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected disease, prevalent and endemic in Latin America, but also present in Europe and North America. The main treatment used for this disease is benznidazole, but its efficacy is variable in the chronic phase and presents high toxicity. So, there is a need for the development of new therapeutic agents. The five-membered heterocyclic 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring has received attention for its unique properties and a broad spectrum of biological activities and is therefore a potential candidate for the development of new drugs. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the N-cyclohexyl-3-(3-methylphenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-amine (2) on the evolutionary forms of Trypanosoma cruzi strain Y, as well as its mechanisms of action and in silico theoretical approach. The results by computational method showed an interaction of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole (2) with TcGAPDH, cruzain, and trypanothione reductase, showing good charge distribution and affinity in those three targets. Furthermore, cytotoxicity in LLC-MK2 cells was performed by the MTT method. In the assays with different parasite forms, the tested compound showed similar time-dependent concentration effect. The evaluation of the antiamastigote effect between the two concentrations tested showed a reduction in the number of infected cells and also in the number of amastigotes per infected cell. By flow cytometry, the compound (2) displayed alterations suggestive of necrotic events. Finally, in scanning electron microscopy structural alterations were present, characteristic of necrosisin the epimastigote forms. Overall, the 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivative (2) here evaluated opens perspectives to the development of new antichagasic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmim Mendes Rocha
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Ceará), Rua São José, S/N, Eusébio, 61760-000, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Paula Magalhães
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | - Márcia Machado Marinho
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Valentina Nascimento E Melo de Oliveira
- Department of Chemistry, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência E Tecnologia de Pernambuco, Campus Ipojuca, Ipojuca, 55590-000, Brazil
| | | | - Tiago Lima Sampaio
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Ramon R P P B de Menezes
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Alice M C Martins
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Roberto Nicolete
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Ceará), Rua São José, S/N, Eusébio, 61760-000, Brazil.
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26
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Gouveia ALA, Santos FAB, Alves LC, Cruz-Filho IJ, Silva PR, Jacob ITT, Soares JCS, Santos DKDN, Souza TRCL, Oliveira JF, Lima MDCA. Thiazolidine derivatives: In vitro toxicity assessment against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania infantum and ultrastructural study. Exp Parasitol 2022; 236-237:108253. [PMID: 35381223 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Neglected diseases, such as Leishmaniasis, constitute a group of communicable diseases that occur mainly in tropical countries. Considered a public health problem with limited treatment. Therefore, there is a need for new therapies. In this sense, our proposal was to evaluate in vitro two series of thiazolidine compounds (7a-7e and 8a-8e) against Leishmania infantum. We performed in vitro evaluations through macrophage cytotoxicity assays (J774) and nitric oxide production, activity against promastigotes and amastigotes, as well as ultrastructural analyzes in promastigotes. In the evaluation of cytotoxicity, the thiazolidine compounds presented CC50 values between 8.52 and 126.83 μM. Regarding the evaluation against the promastigote forms, the IC50 values ranged between 0.42 and 142.43 μM. Compound 7a was the most promising, as it had the lowest IC50. The parasites treated with compound 7a showed several changes, such as cell body shrinkage, shortening and loss of the flagellum, intense mitochondrial edema and cytoplasmic vacuolization, leading the parasite to cell inviability. In assays against the amastigote forms, the compound showed a low IC50 (0.65 μM). These results indicate that compound 7a was efficient for both evolutionary forms of the parasite. In silico studies suggest that the compound has good oral bioavailability. These results show that compound 7a is a potential drug candidate for the treatment of Leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allana L A Gouveia
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Antibiotics, Center for Biosciences, 50.670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Fábio A B Santos
- Aggeu Magalhães Institut. Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), 50670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Luiz C Alves
- Aggeu Magalhães Institut. Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), 50670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Iranildo José Cruz-Filho
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Antibiotics, Center for Biosciences, 50.670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Paula R Silva
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Antibiotics, Center for Biosciences, 50.670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Iris T T Jacob
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Antibiotics, Center for Biosciences, 50.670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - José Cleberson S Soares
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Antibiotics, Center for Biosciences, 50.670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Dayane K D N Santos
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Antibiotics, Center for Biosciences, 50.670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Tulio Ricardo C L Souza
- Rural University of Pernambuco, Academic Unit of Belo Jardim, 55156-580, Belo Jardim, PE, Brazil
| | - Jamerson F Oliveira
- University for the International Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusophony (UNILAB), 62790-970, Redenção, CE, Brazil
| | - Maria do Carmo A Lima
- Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Antibiotics, Center for Biosciences, 50.670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil.
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27
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Benítez D, Franco J, Sardi F, Leyva A, Durán R, Choi G, Yang G, Kim T, Kim N, Heo J, Kim K, Lee H, Choi I, Radu C, Shum D, No JH, Comini MA. Drug-like molecules with anti-trypanothione synthetase activity identified by high throughput screening. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2022; 37:912-929. [PMID: 35306933 PMCID: PMC8942522 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2045590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanothione synthetase (TryS) catalyses the synthesis of N1,N8-bis(glutathionyl)spermidine (trypanothione), which is the main low molecular mass thiol supporting several redox functions in trypanosomatids. TryS attracts attention as molecular target for drug development against pathogens causing severe and fatal diseases in mammals. A drug discovery campaign aimed to identify and characterise new inhibitors of TryS with promising biological activity was conducted. A large compound library (n = 51,624), most of them bearing drug-like properties, was primarily screened against TryS from Trypanosoma brucei (TbTryS). With a true-hit rate of 0.056%, several of the TbTryS hits (IC50 from 1.2 to 36 µM) also targeted the homologue enzyme from Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi (IC50 values from 2.6 to 40 µM). Calmidazolium chloride and Ebselen stand out for their multi-species anti-TryS activity at low µM concentrations (IC50 from 2.6 to 13.8 µM). The moieties carboxy piperidine amide and amide methyl thiazole phenyl were identified as novel TbTryS inhibitor scaffolds. Several of the TryS hits presented one-digit µM EC50 against T. cruzi and L. donovani amastigotes but proved cytotoxic against the human osteosarcoma and macrophage host cells (selectivity index ≤ 3). In contrast, seven hits showed a significantly higher selectivity against T. b. brucei (selectivity index from 11 to 182). Non-invasive redox assays confirmed that Ebselen, a multi-TryS inhibitor, induces an intracellular oxidative milieu in bloodstream T. b. brucei. Kinetic and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that Ebselen is a slow-binding inhibitor that modifies irreversible a highly conserved cysteine residue from the TryS’s synthetase domain. The most potent TbTryS inhibitor (a singleton containing an adamantine moiety) exerted a non-covalent, non-competitive (with any of the substrates) inhibition of the enzyme. These data feed the drug discovery pipeline for trypanosomatids with novel and valuable information on chemical entities with drug potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Benítez
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Jaime Franco
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Florencia Sardi
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alejandro Leyva
- Analytical Biochemistry and Proteomics Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Rosario Durán
- Analytical Biochemistry and Proteomics Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Gahee Choi
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyongseon Yang
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Taehee Kim
- Assay Development and Screening, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Namyoul Kim
- Assay Development and Screening, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyeong Heo
- Assay Development and Screening, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Kideok Kim
- Automation and Logistics Management, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Honggun Lee
- Automation and Logistics Management, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Inhee Choi
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Constantin Radu
- Automation and Logistics Management, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - David Shum
- Assay Development and Screening, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Hwan No
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
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28
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Durão R, Ramalhete C, Madureira AM, Mendes E, Duarte N. Plant Terpenoids as Hit Compounds against Trypanosomiasis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15030340. [PMID: 35337138 PMCID: PMC8951850 DOI: 10.3390/ph15030340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) are vector-borne neglected tropical diseases, caused by the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively. These diseases were circumscribed to South American and African countries in the past. However, human migration, military interventions, and climate changes have had an important effect on their worldwide propagation, particularly Chagas disease. Currently, the treatment of trypanosomiasis is not ideal, becoming a challenge in poor populations with limited resources. Exploring natural products from higher plants remains a valuable approach to find new hits and enlarge the pipeline of new drugs against protozoal human infections. This review covers the recent studies (2016–2021) on plant terpenoids, and their semi-synthetic derivatives, which have shown promising in vitro and in vivo activities against Trypanosoma parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Durão
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMED.Ulisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.D.); (C.R.); (A.M.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Cátia Ramalhete
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMED.Ulisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.D.); (C.R.); (A.M.M.); (E.M.)
- ATLANTICA—Instituto Universitário, Fábrica da Pólvora de Barcarena, 2730-036 Barcarena, Portugal
| | - Ana Margarida Madureira
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMED.Ulisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.D.); (C.R.); (A.M.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Eduarda Mendes
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMED.Ulisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.D.); (C.R.); (A.M.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Noélia Duarte
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMED.Ulisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.D.); (C.R.); (A.M.M.); (E.M.)
- Correspondence:
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Intakhan N, Siriyasatien P, Chanmol W. Anti-Leishmania activity of artesunate and combination effects with amphotericin B against Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis in vitro. Acta Trop 2022; 226:106260. [PMID: 34848183 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an emerging disease in several countries over the world, especially in tropical regions. In Thailand, Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis is the most frequent cause of visceral leishmaniasis and disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis among HIV/AIDs patients. Amphotericin B (AmB) is the only drug currently available for the treatment of leishmaniasis in Thailand, but has some limitations like high renal toxicity and the prolonged hospitalization required for the treatment. Moreover, recurrence of the disease has been reported in several cases, indicating that new drugs or treatment strategies should be improved. In this study, Artesunate (ARS) was determined for anti-Leishmania activity against L. martiniquensis in promastigotes and amastigotes. In addition, the combination effects of ARS and AmB against intracellular amastigotes on THP-1 derived macrophages were also investigated for the first time. The result showed that L. martiniquensis was susceptible to ARS in both stages of the parasite. ARS was effective against intracellular amastigotes and safe to macrophage host cells, showing a SI value of 1,065. Furthermore, combination effects of ARS and AmB showed five synergistic combinations with a combination index (CI) value less than 1.0 (0.28-0.92) for intracellular amastigotes ranging from slight synergism to strong synergism. The strong synergistic combination had the highest dose reduction index (DRI), approximately a 9.7-fold reduction in AmB used. None of the treatments in combination had noticeable toxicity to THP-1 derived macrophages in the concentration range examined. The data provided in this study lead to further study in vivo and to develop a novel formulation of drug combinations to improve the outcome of leishmaniasis treatment.
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Chanmol W, Siriyasatien P, Intakhan N. In vitro anti- Leishmania activity of 8-hydroxyquinoline and its synergistic effect with amphotericin B deoxycholate against Leishmania martiniquensis. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12813. [PMID: 35111411 PMCID: PMC8781311 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis is responsible for visceral leishmaniasis in patients with no known underlying immunodeficiency, and visceral or disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis in HIV-infected patients. The available anti-Leishmania drugs for treatment have limitations such as high toxicity and variable efficacy. To improve the therapeutic index of anti-Leishmania drugs, the search for a new drug or a new natural compound in combination therapy instead of using monotherapy to reduce drug side effect and have high efficacy is required. In this study, anti-Leishmania activity of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQN) and its synergistic effect with amphotericin B (AmB) against L. martiniquensis were evaluated in vitro for the first time. These results showed that 8HQN presented anti-Leishmania activity against L. martiniquensis with IC50 1.60 ± 0.28 and 1.56 ± 0.02 µg/mL for promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes, respectively. The selectivity index (SI) value of 8HQN was 79.84 for promastigotes and 82.40 for intracellular amastigotes, which highlight promising results for the use of 8HQN in the treatment of L. martiniquensis-infected host cells. Interestingly, four combinations of 8HQN and AmB provided synergistic effects for intracellular amastigotes and showed no toxic effects to host cells. These results provided information of using a combination therapy in treating this Leishmania species leads to further development of therapy and can be considered as an alternative treatment for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wetpisit Chanmol
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand,Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Product, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand,Hematology and Transfusion Science Research Center (HTSRC), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | - Padet Siriyasatien
- Vector Biology and Vector Borne Disease Research Unit, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nuchpicha Intakhan
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand,Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Product, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand,Hematology and Transfusion Science Research Center (HTSRC), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
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Benítez D, Medeiros A, Quiroga C, Comini MA. A Simple Bioluminescent Assay for the Screening of Cytotoxic Molecules Against the Intracellular Form of Leishmania infantum. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2524:127-147. [PMID: 35821468 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2453-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This chapter describes a viability assay for the intracellular (amastigote) and clinically relevant form of Leishmania infantum that is based on the detection of bioluminescence (BL) signal. The assay uses a reporter cell line of L. infantum that expresses constitutively a redshifted luciferase from Photinus pyralis and murine macrophages (cell line J774.A1) as host cells for infection. The host cell line was selected because it is a differentiated cell line, easy to manipulate in vitro, and advantageous for ethical reasons. This chapter introduces an assay designed for the screening of bioactive compounds/molecules employing a 96-well microplate and a 24 h treatment. The assay setup shows excellent balance between simplicity (cell culture manipulation/infection and timing) and quality parameters, as well as potential to detect drug-like molecules acting in a fast and cytotoxic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Benítez
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Andrea Medeiros
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cristina Quiroga
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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KBE009: A Bestatin-Like Inhibitor of the Trypanosoma cruzi Acidic M17 Aminopeptidase with In Vitro Anti-Trypanosomal Activity. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11101037. [PMID: 34685408 PMCID: PMC8540442 DOI: 10.3390/life11101037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a human tropical illness mainly present in Latin America. The therapies available against this disease are far from ideal. Proteases from pathogenic protozoan have been considered as good drug target candidates. T. cruzi acidic M17 leucyl-aminopeptidase (TcLAP) mediates the major parasite’s leucyl-aminopeptidase activity and is expressed in all parasite stages. Here, we report the inhibition of TcLAP (IC50 = 66.0 ± 13.5 µM) by the bestatin-like peptidomimetic KBE009. This molecule also inhibited the proliferation of T. cruzi epimastigotes in vitro (EC50 = 28.1 ± 1.9 µM) and showed selectivity for the parasite over human dermal fibroblasts (selectivity index: 4.9). Further insight into the specific effect of KBE009 on T. cruzi was provided by docking simulation using the crystal structure of TcLAP and a modeled human orthologous, hLAP3. The TcLAP-KBE009 complex is more stable than its hLAP3 counterpart. KBE009 adopted a better geometrical shape to fit into the active site of TcLAP than that of hLAP3. The drug-likeness and lead-likeness in silico parameters of KBE009 are satisfactory. Altogether, our results provide an initial insight into KBE009 as a promising starting point compound for the rational design of drugs through further optimization.
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Domínguez-Asenjo B, Gutiérrez-Corbo C, Álvarez-Bardón M, Pérez-Pertejo Y, Balaña-Fouce R, Reguera RM. Ex Vivo Phenotypic Screening of Two Small Repurposing Drug Collections Identifies Nifuratel as a Potential New Treatment against Visceral and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:2390-2401. [PMID: 34114790 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniases are vector-borne neglected diseases caused by single-celled parasites. The search for new antileishmanial drugs has experienced a strong boost thanks to the application of bioimaging to phenotypic screenings based on intracellular amastigotes. Mouse splenic explants infected with fluorescent strains of Leishmania are proven tools of drug discovery, where hits can be easily transferred to preclinical in vivo models. We have developed a two-staged platform for antileishmanial drugs. First, we screened two commercial collections of repurposing drugs with a total of 1769 compounds in ex vivo mouse splenocytes infected with an infrared emitting Leishmania infantum strain. The most active and safest compounds were scaled-up to in vivo models of chronic Leishmania donovani visceral leishmaniasis and Leishmania major cutaneous leishmaniasis. From the total of 1769 compounds, 12 hits with selective indices >35 were identified, and 4 of them were tested in vivo in a model of L. donovani visceral leishmaniasis. Nifuratel, a repurposed synthetic nitrofuran, when administered orally at 50 mg/kg bw once or twice a day for 10 days, caused >80% reduction in the parasitic load. Furthermore, the intralesional administration of nifuratel in a model of cutaneous leishmaniasis by L. major produced the parasitological cure. From the previous results we have deduced the great capacity of mouse splenic explants to identify new hits, a model which could be easily transferred to in vivo models, as well as the potential use of nifuratel as an alternative to the current treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Domínguez-Asenjo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Camino Gutiérrez-Corbo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - María Álvarez-Bardón
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
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Meireles PW, de Souza DPB, Rezende MG, Borsodi MPG, de Oliveira DE, da Silva LCRP, de Souza AMT, Viana GM, Rodrigues CR, do Carmo FA, de Sousa VP, Rossi-Bergmann B, Cabral LM. Nanoparticles Loaded with a New Thiourea Derivative: Development and In vitro Evaluation Against Leishmania amazonensis. Curr Drug Deliv 2021; 17:694-702. [PMID: 32621717 DOI: 10.2174/1567201817666200704132348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Current treatments are restricted to a small number of drugs that display both severe side effects and a potential for parasites to develop resistance. A new N-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-N'- (2-phenethyl) thiourea compound (thiourea 1) has shown promising in vitro activity against Leishmania amazonensis with an IC50 of 54.14 μM for promastigotes and an IC50 of 70 μM for amastigotes. OBJECTIVE To develop a formulation of thiourea 1 as an oral treatment for leishmaniasis, it was incorporated into Nanoparticles (NPs), a proven approach to provide long-acting drug delivery systems. METHODS Poly (D,L-Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) (PLGA) polymeric NPs containing thiourea 1 were obtained through a nanoprecipitation methodology associated with solvent evaporation. The NPs containing thiourea 1 were characterized for Encapsulation Efficiency (EE%), reaction yield (% w/w), surface charge, particle size and morphology by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). RESULTS NPs with thiourea 1 showed an improved in vitro leishmanicidal activity with a reduction in its cytotoxicity against macrophages (CC50>100 μg/mL) while preserving its IC50 against intracellular amastigotes (1.46 ± 0.09 μg/mL). This represents a parasite Selectivity Index (SI) of 68.49, which is a marked advancement from the reference drug pentamidine (SI = 30.14). CONCLUSION The results suggest that the incorporation into NPs potentiated the therapeutic effect of thiourea 1, most likely by improving the selective delivery of the drug to the phagocytic cells that are targeted for infection by L. amazonensis. This work reinforces the importance of nanotechnology in the acquisition of new therapeutic alternatives for oral treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma Wetler Meireles
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Dandara Paiva Barroso de Souza
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marianne Grilo Rezende
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Gil Mendes Viana
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Rangel Rodrigues
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavia Almada do Carmo
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Valeria Pereira de Sousa
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bartira Rossi-Bergmann
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lucio Mendes Cabral
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Reis IMA, Umehara E, Conceição RS, de M Oliveira L, Dos S Junior MC, Costa-Silva TA, Amaral M, Tempone AG, Branco A, Lago JHG. γ-Lactones from Persea americana and Persea fulva - in Vitro and in Silico Evaluation of Trypanosoma cruzi Activity. Chem Biodivers 2021; 18:e2100362. [PMID: 34254435 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202100362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, five known γ-lactones (majoranolide B - 1, majorenolide - 2, majorynolide - 3, lincomolide D - 4, and isolinderanolide E - 5), as well as a new one (perseanolide - 6), were isolated from Persea fulva and P. americana. All isolated compounds exhibited potential activity against trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi, whereas compounds 2 (EC50 of 4.8 μM) and 6 (EC50 of 3.6 μM) displayed superior activity than the positive control benznidazole (EC50 of 16.4 μM), with selectivity index (SI) values of 17.8 and >55.6, respectively (benznidazole, SI>12.2). Molecular docking studies were performed for 1-6 against six T. cruzi molecular targets. Using this approach, we observed that, even though perseanolide (6) showed favorable docking to several studied targets, the results were especially promising for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (PDB 1TC1). As PDB 1TC1 is associated to the transference of a monophosphorylated ribose from phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) in the ribonucleotide synthesis pathway, this interaction may affect the survival of T. cruzi in mammalian cells. The data herein also indicate that possible intermolecular interactions between 6 and PDB 1TC1 derive from (i) hydrogen bonds in the α,β-unsaturated-γ-lactone unity and (ii) hydrophobic interactions in the long-chain alkyl group. Based on our results, perseanolide (6), reported for the first time in this work, can auspiciously contribute to future works regarding new trypanocidal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Mary A Reis
- Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, 44036-900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
| | - Eric Umehara
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, 09210-580, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo S Conceição
- Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, 44036-900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
| | - Larissa de M Oliveira
- Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, 44036-900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
| | | | - Thais A Costa-Silva
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, 09210-580, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil
| | - Maiara Amaral
- Centro de Parasitologia e Micologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, 01246-902, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Andre G Tempone
- Centro de Parasitologia e Micologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, 01246-902, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alexsandro Branco
- Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, 44036-900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
| | - João Henrique G Lago
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, 09210-580, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil
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Martín-Escolano R, Cebrián R, Maqueda M, Romero D, Rosales MJ, Sánchez-Moreno M, Marín C. Assessing the effectiveness of AS-48 in experimental mice models of Chagas' disease. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 75:1537-1545. [PMID: 32129856 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkaa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We report the in vivo trypanocidal activity of the bacteriocin AS-48 (lacking toxicity), which is produced by Enterococcus faecalis, against the flagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the aetiological agent of Chagas' disease. METHODS We determined the in vivo activity of AS-48 against the T. cruzi Arequipa strain in BALB/c mice (in both acute and chronic phases of Chagas' disease). We evaluated the parasitaemia, the reactivation of parasitaemia after immunosuppression and the nested parasites in the chronic phase by PCR in target tissues. RESULTS AS-48 reduced the parasitaemia profile in acute infection and showed a noteworthy reduction in the parasitic load in chronic infection after immunosuppression according to the results obtained by PCR (double-checking to demonstrate cure). CONCLUSIONS AS-48 is a promising alternative that provides a step forward in the development of a new therapy against Chagas' disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Rubén Cebrián
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Mercedes Maqueda
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Desirée Romero
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Faculty of Sciences, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Maria José Rosales
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Sánchez-Moreno
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
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De Araújo JS, da Silva PB, Batista MM, Peres RB, Cardoso-Santos C, Kalejaiye TD, Munday JC, De Heuvel E, Sterk GJ, Augustyns K, Salado IG, Matheeussen A, De Esch I, De Koning HP, Leurs R, Maes L, Soeiro MDNC. Evaluation of phthalazinone phosphodiesterase inhibitors with improved activity and selectivity against Trypanosoma cruzi. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 75:958-967. [PMID: 31860098 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkz516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, needs urgent alternative therapeutic options as the treatments currently available display severe limitations, mainly related to efficacy and toxicity. OBJECTIVES As phosphodiesterases (PDEs) have been claimed as novel targets against T. cruzi, our aim was to evaluate the biological aspects of 12 new phthalazinone PDE inhibitors against different T. cruzi strains and parasite forms relevant for human infection. METHODS In vitro trypanocidal activity of the inhibitors was assessed alone and in combination with benznidazole. Their effects on parasite ultrastructural and cAMP levels were determined. PDE mRNA levels from the different T. cruzi forms were measured by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS Five TcrPDEs were found to be expressed in all parasite stages. Four compounds displayed strong effects against intracellular amastigotes. Against bloodstream trypomastigotes (BTs), three were at least as potent as benznidazole. In vitro combination therapy with one of the most active inhibitors on both parasite forms (NPD-040) plus benznidazole demonstrated a quite synergistic profile (xΣ FICI = 0.58) against intracellular amastigotes but no interaction (xΣ FICI = 1.27) when BTs were assayed. BTs treated with NPD-040 presented disrupted Golgi apparatus, a swollen flagellar pocket and signs of autophagy. cAMP measurements of untreated parasites showed that amastigotes have higher ability to efflux this second messenger than BTs. NPD-001 and NPD-040 increase the intracellular cAMP content in both BTs and amastigotes, which is also released into the extracellular milieu. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate the potential of PDE inhibitors as anti-T. cruzi drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marcos Meuser Batista
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Raiza Brandão Peres
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camila Cardoso-Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Titilola D Kalejaiye
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jane C Munday
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Erik De Heuvel
- Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines & Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Geert Jan Sterk
- Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines & Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Koen Augustyns
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Irene G Salado
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - An Matheeussen
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Iwan De Esch
- Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines & Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harry P De Koning
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Rob Leurs
- Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines & Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Martín-Escolano R, Molina-Carreño D, Plano D, Espuelas S, Rosales MJ, Moreno E, Aydillo C, Sanmartín C, Sánchez-Moreno M, Marín C. Library of Selenocyanate and Diselenide Derivatives as In Vivo Antichagasic Compounds Targeting Trypanosoma cruzi Mitochondrion. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14050419. [PMID: 34062791 PMCID: PMC8147293 DOI: 10.3390/ph14050419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is usually caused by tropical infection with the insect-transmitted protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Currently, Chagas disease is a major public health concern worldwide due to globalization, and there are no treatments neither vaccines because of the long-term nature of the disease and its complex pathology. Current treatments are limited to two obsolete drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox, which lead to serious drawbacks. Taking into account the urgent need for strict research efforts to find new therapies, here, we describe the in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity of a library of selected forty-eight selenocyanate and diselenide derivatives that exhibited leishmanicidal properties. The inclusion of selenium, an essential trace element, was due to the well-known extensive pharmacological activities for selenium compounds including parasitic diseases as T. cruzi. Here we present compound 8 as a potential compound that exhibits a better profile than benznidazole both in vitro and in vivo. It shows a fast-acting behaviour that could be attributed to its mode of action: it acts in a mitochondrion-dependent manner, causing cell death by bioenergetic collapse. This finding provides a step forward for the development of a new antichagasic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK
- Correspondence: (R.M.-E.); (C.M.)
| | - Daniel Molina-Carreño
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (D.M.-C.); (M.J.R.); (M.S.-M.)
| | - Daniel Plano
- Facultad de Farmacia y Nutrición, Departamento de Tecnología y Química Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Navarra, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain; (D.P.); (S.E.); (E.M.); (C.A.); (C.S.)
- Instituto de Salud Tropical, Universidad de Navarra, ISTUN, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdiSNA) Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Socorro Espuelas
- Facultad de Farmacia y Nutrición, Departamento de Tecnología y Química Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Navarra, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain; (D.P.); (S.E.); (E.M.); (C.A.); (C.S.)
- Instituto de Salud Tropical, Universidad de Navarra, ISTUN, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdiSNA) Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - María J. Rosales
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (D.M.-C.); (M.J.R.); (M.S.-M.)
| | - Esther Moreno
- Facultad de Farmacia y Nutrición, Departamento de Tecnología y Química Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Navarra, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain; (D.P.); (S.E.); (E.M.); (C.A.); (C.S.)
- Instituto de Salud Tropical, Universidad de Navarra, ISTUN, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdiSNA) Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carlos Aydillo
- Facultad de Farmacia y Nutrición, Departamento de Tecnología y Química Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Navarra, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain; (D.P.); (S.E.); (E.M.); (C.A.); (C.S.)
- Instituto de Salud Tropical, Universidad de Navarra, ISTUN, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdiSNA) Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Sanmartín
- Facultad de Farmacia y Nutrición, Departamento de Tecnología y Química Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Navarra, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain; (D.P.); (S.E.); (E.M.); (C.A.); (C.S.)
- Instituto de Salud Tropical, Universidad de Navarra, ISTUN, Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdiSNA) Irunlarrea, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Manuel Sánchez-Moreno
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (D.M.-C.); (M.J.R.); (M.S.-M.)
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (D.M.-C.); (M.J.R.); (M.S.-M.)
- Correspondence: (R.M.-E.); (C.M.)
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Domínguez-Asenjo B, Gutiérrez-Corbo C, Pérez-Pertejo Y, Iborra S, Balaña-Fouce R, Reguera RM. Bioluminescent Imaging Identifies Thymus, As Overlooked Colonized Organ, in a Chronic Model of Leishmania donovani Mouse Visceral Leishmaniasis. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:871-883. [PMID: 33739807 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The search for new drugs against neglected parasitic diseases has experienced a major boost in recent years with the incorporation of bioimaging techniques. Visceral leishmaniasis, the second more neglected disease in the world, has effective treatments but with several disadvantages that make the search for new therapeutic solutions an urgent task. Animal models of visceral leishmaniasis that resemble the human disease have the disadvantage of using hamsters, which are an outbred breeding animal too large to obtain acceptable images with current bioimaging methodologies. Mouse models of visceral leishmaniasis seem, however, to be more suitable for early (acute) stages of the disease, but not for chronic ones. In our work, we describe a chronic Balb/c mouse model in which the infection primarily colonizes the spleen and well recreates the late stages of human disease. Thanks to the bioluminescent image, we have been able to identify experimentally, for the first time, a new primary lymphoid organ of colonization, the thymus, which appears infected from the beginning until the late phases of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Domínguez-Asenjo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Camino Gutiérrez-Corbo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Salvador Iborra
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Complutense University School of Medicine and 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
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López-Lira C, Tapia RA, Herrera A, Lapier M, Maya JD, Soto-Delgado J, Oliver AG, Graham Lappin A, Uriarte E. New benzimidazolequinones as trypanosomicidal agents. Bioorg Chem 2021; 111:104823. [PMID: 33798844 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.104823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Herein, the design and synthesis of new 2-phenyl(pyridinyl)benzimidazolequinones and their 5-phenoxy derivatives as potential anti-Trypanosoma cruzi agents are described. The compounds were evaluated in vitro against the epimastigotes and trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. The replacing of a benzene moiety in the naphthoquinone system by an imidazole enhanced the trypanosomicidal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. Three of the tested compounds (11a-c) showed potent trypanosomicidal activity and compound 11a, with IC50 of 0.65 μM on the trypomastigote form of T. cruzi, proved to be 15 times more active than nifurtimox. Additionally, molecular docking studies indicate that the quinone derivatives 11a-c could have a multitarget profile interacting preferentially with trypanothione reductase and Old Yellow Enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia López-Lira
- Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 6094411, Chile
| | - Ricardo A Tapia
- Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 6094411, Chile.
| | - Alejandra Herrera
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Michel Lapier
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Juan D Maya
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Jorge Soto-Delgado
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andrés Bello, Viña del Mar 2531015, Chile.
| | - Allen G Oliver
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - A Graham Lappin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Eugenio Uriarte
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Kamdem BP, Elizabeth FI. The Role of Nitro (NO 2-), Chloro (Cl), and Fluoro (F) Substitution in the Design of Antileishmanial and Antichagasic Compounds. Curr Drug Targets 2021; 22:379-398. [PMID: 33371845 DOI: 10.2174/1389450121666201228122239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are responsible for over 500,000 deaths annually and are characterized by multiple disabilities. Leishmaniasis and Chagas diseases are among the most severe NTDs, and are caused by the Leishmania sp and Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively. Glucantime, pentamidine, and miltefosine are commonly used to treat leishmaniasis, whereas nifurtimox, benznidazole are current treatments for Chagas disease. However, these treatments are associated with drug resistance and severe side effects. Hence, the development of synthetic products, especially those containing N02, F, or Cl, are known to improve biological activity. The present work summarizes the information on the antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activity of nitro-, chloro-, and fluorosynthetic derivatives. Scientific publications referring to halogenated derivatives in relation to antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activities were hand-searched in databases such as SciFinder, Wiley, Science Direct, PubMed, ACS, Springer, Scielo, and so on. According to the literature information, more than 90 compounds were predicted as lead molecules with reference to their IC50/EC50 values in in vitro studies. It is worth mentioning that only active compounds with known cytotoxic effects against mammalian cells were considered in the present study. The observed activity was attributed to the presence of nitro-, fluoro-, and chloro-groups in the compound backbone. All in all, nitro and halogenated derivatives are active antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal compounds and can serve as the baseline for the development of new drugs against leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. However, efforts in in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies of the active synthetic compounds is still needed. Pharmacokinetic studies and the mechanism of action of the promising compounds need to be explored. The use of new catalysts and chemical transformation can afford unexplored halogenated compounds with improved antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boniface P Kamdem
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ferreira I Elizabeth
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Paradela LS, Wall RJ, Carvalho S, Chemi G, Corpas-Lopez V, Moynihan E, Bello D, Patterson S, Güther MLS, Fairlamb AH, Ferguson MAJ, Zuccotto F, Martin J, Gilbert IH, Wyllie S. Multiple unbiased approaches identify oxidosqualene cyclase as the molecular target of a promising anti-leishmanial. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:711-721.e8. [PMID: 33691122 PMCID: PMC8153249 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic screening identified a benzothiophene compound with activity against Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis. Using multiple orthogonal approaches, oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC), a key enzyme of sterol biosynthesis, was identified as the target of this racemic compound and its enantiomers. Whole genome sequencing and screening of a genome-wide overexpression library confirmed that OSC gene amplification is associated with resistance to compound 1. Introduction of an ectopic copy of the OSC gene into wild-type cells reduced susceptibility to these compounds confirming the role of this enzyme in resistance. Biochemical analyses demonstrated the accumulation of the substrate of OSC and depletion of its product in compound (S)-1-treated-promastigotes and cell-free membrane preparations, respectively. Thermal proteome profiling confirmed that compound (S)-1 binds directly to OSC. Finally, modeling and docking studies identified key interactions between compound (S)-1 and the LdOSC active site. Strategies to improve the potency for this promising anti-leishmanial are proposed. Genetics and chemo-proteomics identify the target of a promising anti-leishmanial Biochemical assays confirm the direct inhibition of oxidosqualene cyclase in cells Docking and modeling studies identify key interactions between compound and target Strategies to improve the potency of this benzothiophene are proposed
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana S Paradela
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Richard J Wall
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Sandra Carvalho
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Giulia Chemi
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Victoriano Corpas-Lopez
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Eoin Moynihan
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Davide Bello
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Stephen Patterson
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Maria Lucia S Güther
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Alan H Fairlamb
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Michael A J Ferguson
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Fabio Zuccotto
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Julio Martin
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos 28760, Spain
| | - Ian H Gilbert
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Susan Wyllie
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK.
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Vela A, Coral-Almeida M, Sereno D, Costales JA, Barnabé C, Brenière SF. In vitro susceptibility of Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units (DTUs) to benznidazole: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009269. [PMID: 33750958 PMCID: PMC8016252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease endemic to Latin America caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, currently affects 6-7 million people and is responsible for 12,500 deaths each year. No vaccine exists at present and the only two drugs currently approved for the treatment (benznidazole and nifurtimox), possess serious limitations, including long treatment regimes, undesirable side effects, and frequent clinical failures. A link between parasite genetic variability and drug sensibility/efficacy has been suggested, but remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated associations between T. cruzi genetic variability and in vitro benznidazole susceptibility via a systematic article review and meta-analysis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In vitro normalized benznidazole susceptibility indices (LC50 and IC50) for epimastigote, trypomastigote and amastigote stages of different T. cruzi strains were recorded from articles in the scientific literature. A total of 60 articles, which include 189 assays, met the selection criteria for the meta-analysis. Mean values for each discrete typing unit (DTU) were estimated using the meta and metaphor packages through R software, and presented in a rainforest plot. Subsequently, a meta-regression analysis was performed to determine differences between estimated mean values by DTU/parasite stage/drug incubation times. For each parasite stage, some DTU mean values were significantly different, e.g. at 24h of drug incubation, a lower sensitivity to benznidazole of TcI vs. TcII trypomastigotes was noteworthy. Nevertheless, funnel plots detected high heterogeneity of the data within each DTU and even for a single strain. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Several limitations of the study prevent assigning DTUs to different in vitro benznidazole sensitivity groups; however, ignoring the parasite's genetic variability during drug development and evaluation would not be advisable. Our findings highlight the need for establishment of uniform experimental conditions as well as a screening of different DTUs during the optimization of new drug candidates for Chagas disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Vela
- Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), UMR INTERTRYP IRD-CIRAD, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Marco Coral-Almeida
- One Health Research group, Facultad de Ciencias de la salud, Universidad de las Américas-Quito, Calle de los Colimes y Avenida De los Granados, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Denis Sereno
- Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), UMR INTERTRYP IRD-CIRAD, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jaime A. Costales
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Christian Barnabé
- Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), UMR INTERTRYP IRD-CIRAD, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Simone Frédérique Brenière
- Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), UMR INTERTRYP IRD-CIRAD, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
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Metabolite profile of Nectandra oppositifolia Nees & Mart. and assessment of antitrypanosomal activity of bioactive compounds through efficiency analyses. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247334. [PMID: 33630860 PMCID: PMC7906415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
EtOH extracts from the leaves and twigs of Nectandra oppositifolia Nees & Mart. shown activity against amastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. These extracts were subjected to successive liquid-liquid partitioning to afford bioactive CH2Cl2 fractions. UHPLC-TOF-HRMS/MS and molecular networking were used to obtain an overview of the phytochemical composition of these active fractions. Aiming to isolate the active compounds, both CH2Cl2 fractions were subjected to fractionation using medium pressure chromatography combined with semi-preparative HPLC-UV. Using this approach, twelve compounds (1-12) were isolated and identified by NMR and HRMS analysis. Several isolated compounds displayed activity against the amastigote forms of T. cruzi, especially ethyl protocatechuate (7) with EC50 value of 18.1 μM, similar to positive control benznidazole (18.7 μM). Considering the potential of compound 7, protocatechuic acid and its respective methyl (7a), n-propyl (7b), n-butyl (7c), n-pentyl (7d), and n-hexyl (7e) esters were tested. Regarding antitrypanosomal activity, protocatechuic acid and compound 7a were inactive, while 7b-7e exhibited EC50 values from 20.4 to 11.7 μM, without cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. These results suggest that lipophilicity and molecular complexity play an important role in the activity while efficiency analysis indicates that the natural compound 7 is a promising prototype for further modifications to obtain compounds effective against the intracellular forms of T. cruzi.
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Correa ITS, da Costa-Silva TA, Tempone AG. Bioenergetics impairment of Trypanosoma cruzi by the antihypertensive manidipine: A drug repurposing strategy. Acta Trop 2021; 214:105768. [PMID: 33245907 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Considering the lack of effective and safe therapy for the treatment of Chagas disease, the antihypertensive drug manidipine (MDP) was in vitro evaluated against Trypanosoma cruzi. The bioenergetics of trypomastigotes was studied in the presence of the drug using fluorimetric and luminescent assays. Manidipine showed a potent antiparasitic activity, with IC50 values of 0.1 μM (intracellular amastigotes) and 3 μM (trypomastigotes), resulting in a promising selectivity index against the amastigotes (>1459). Using fluorimetric analysis, the drug showed depolarisation of the electric potential of the plasma membrane with no alteration of the permeability. A decrease in ATP levels suggested a bioenergetic alteration of the mitochondria, which was confirmed by the depolarisation of the mitochondrial membrane potential and a slight increase of the ROS levels. This is the first study to show the promising in vitro effectiveness of the antihypertensive MDP against T. cruzi, which may represent a candidate for future investigations in animal models.
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Martín-Escolano R, Guardia JJ, Martín-Escolano J, Cirauqui N, Fernández A, Rosales MJ, Chahboun R, Sánchez-Moreno M, Alvarez-Manzaneda E, Marín C. In Vivo Biological Evaluation of a Synthetic Royleanone Derivative as a Promising Fast-Acting Trypanocidal Agent by Inducing Mitochondrial-Dependent Necrosis. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2020; 83:3571-3583. [PMID: 33253573 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The life-long and life-threatening Chagas disease is one of the most neglected tropical diseases caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It is a major public health problem in Latin America, as six to seven million people are infected, being the principal cause of mortality in many endemic regions. Moreover, Chagas disease has become widespread due to migrant populations. Additionally, there are no vaccines nor effective treatments to fight the disease because of its long-term nature and complex pathology. Therefore, these facts emphasize how crucial the international effort for the development of new treatments against Chagas disease is. Here, we present the in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity of some oxygenated abietane diterpenoids and related compounds. The 1,4-benzoquinone 15, not yet reported, was identified as a fast-acting trypanocidal drug with efficacy against different strains in vitro and higher activity and lower toxicity than benznidazole in both phases of murine Chagas disease. The mode of action was also evaluated, suggesting that quinone 15 kills T. cruzi by inducing mitochondrion-dependent necrosis through a bioenergetics collapse caused by a mitochondrial membrane depolarization and iron-containing superoxide dismutase inhibition. Therefore, the abietane 1,4-benzoquinone 15 can be considered as a new candidate molecule for the development of an appropriate and commercially accessible anti-Chagas drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Juan J Guardia
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Javier Martín-Escolano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Nuria Cirauqui
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69367 Lyon Cedex 07, France
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Maria J Rosales
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Rachid Chahboun
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Sánchez-Moreno
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Enrique Alvarez-Manzaneda
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
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47
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Martín-Escolano J, Medina-Carmona E, Martín-Escolano R. Chagas Disease: Current View of an Ancient and Global Chemotherapy Challenge. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:2830-2843. [PMID: 33034192 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease and a global public health issue. In terms of treatment, no progress has been made since the 1960s, when benznidazole and nifurtimox, two obsolete drugs still prescribed, were used to treat this disease. Hence, currently, there are no effective treatments available to tackle Chagas disease. Over the past 20 years, there has been an increasing interest in the disease. However, parasite genetic diversity, drug resistance, tropism, and complex life cycle, along with the limited understanding of the disease and inadequate methodologies and strategies, have resulted in the absence of new insights in drugs development and disappointing outcomes in clinical trials so far. In summary, new drugs are urgently needed. This Review considers the relevant aspects related to the lack of drugs for Chagas disease, resumes the advances in tools for drug discovery, and discusses the main features to be taken into account to develop new effective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martín-Escolano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | | | - Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.Granada), Hospitales Universitarios De Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
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48
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Bazin MA, Cojean S, Pagniez F, Bernadat G, Cavé C, Ourliac-Garnier I, Nourrisson MR, Morgado C, Picot C, Leclercq O, Baratte B, Robert T, Späth GF, Rachidi N, Bach S, Loiseau PM, Le Pape P, Marchand P. In vitro identification of imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-based antileishmanial agents and evaluation of L. major casein kinase 1 inhibition. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 210:112956. [PMID: 33148491 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis constitutes a severe public health problem, with an estimated prevalence of 12 million cases. This potentially fatal disease has a worldwide distribution and in 2012, the fatal Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) was declared as new emerging disease in Europe, mainly due to global warming, with expected important public health impact. The available treatments are toxic, costly or lead to parasite resistance, thus there is an urgent need for new drugs with new mechanism of action. Previously, we reported the discovery of CTN1122, a potent imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-based antileishmanial hit compound targeting L-CK1.2 at low micromolar ranges. Here, we described structurally related, safe and selective compounds endowed with antiparasitic properties, better than miltefosine, the reference therapy by oral route. L-CK1.2 homology model gave the first structural explanations of the role of 4-pyridyl (CTN1122) and 2-aminopyrimidin-4-yl (compound 21) moieties, at the position 3 of the central core, in the low micromolar to nanomolar L-CK1.2 inhibition, whereas N-methylpyrazole derivative 11 remained inactive against the parasite kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Antoine Bazin
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Sandrine Cojean
- BioCIS Biomolécules: Conception, Isolement, Synthèse, Chimiothérapie Antiparasitaire, UMR CNRS 8076, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-92296, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Fabrice Pagniez
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Guillaume Bernadat
- BioCIS Biomolécules: Conception, Isolement, Synthèse, Chimiothérapie Antiparasitaire, UMR CNRS 8076, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-92296, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Christian Cavé
- BioCIS Biomolécules: Conception, Isolement, Synthèse, Chimiothérapie Antiparasitaire, UMR CNRS 8076, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-92296, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Isabelle Ourliac-Garnier
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Marie-Renée Nourrisson
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Cathy Morgado
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Carine Picot
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Olivier Leclercq
- Institut Pasteur and Institut National de Santé et Recherche Médicale INSERM U1201, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Blandine Baratte
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models Laboratory (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29680, Roscoff, France; Sorbonne Université, CNRS, FR2424, Kinase Inhibitor Specialized Screening Facility - KISSf, Station Biologique, F-29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Thomas Robert
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models Laboratory (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29680, Roscoff, France; Sorbonne Université, CNRS, FR2424, Kinase Inhibitor Specialized Screening Facility - KISSf, Station Biologique, F-29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Gérald F Späth
- Institut Pasteur and Institut National de Santé et Recherche Médicale INSERM U1201, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Najma Rachidi
- Institut Pasteur and Institut National de Santé et Recherche Médicale INSERM U1201, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Bach
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models Laboratory (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29680, Roscoff, France; Sorbonne Université, CNRS, FR2424, Kinase Inhibitor Specialized Screening Facility - KISSf, Station Biologique, F-29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Philippe M Loiseau
- BioCIS Biomolécules: Conception, Isolement, Synthèse, Chimiothérapie Antiparasitaire, UMR CNRS 8076, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-92296, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Patrice Le Pape
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Pascal Marchand
- Université de Nantes, Cibles et Médicaments des Infections et du Cancer, IICiMed, EA 1155, F-44000, Nantes, France.
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49
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Thomas MG, De Rycker M, Wall RJ, Spinks D, Epemolu O, Manthri S, Norval S, Osuna-Cabello M, Patterson S, Riley J, Simeons FRC, Stojanovski L, Thomas J, Thompson S, Naylor C, Fiandor JM, Wyatt PG, Marco M, Wyllie S, Read KD, Miles TJ, Gilbert IH. Identification and Optimization of a Series of 8-Hydroxy Naphthyridines with Potent In Vitro Antileishmanial Activity: Initial SAR and Assessment of In Vivo Activity. J Med Chem 2020; 63:9523-9539. [PMID: 32663005 PMCID: PMC7748245 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Visceral
leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic infection that results
in approximately 26 000–65 000 deaths annually.
The available treatments are hampered by issues such as toxicity,
variable efficacy, and unsuitable dosing options. The need for new
treatments is urgent and led to a collaboration between the Drugs
for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and the University of Dundee. An 8-hydroxynaphthyridine
was identified as a start point, and an early compound demonstrated
weak efficacy in a mouse model of VL but was hampered by glucuronidation.
Efforts to address this led to the development of compounds with improved in vitro profiles, but these were poorly tolerated in vivo. Investigation of the mode of action (MoA) demonstrated
that activity was driven by sequestration of divalent metal cations,
a mechanism which was likely to drive the poor tolerability. This
highlights the importance of investigating MoA and pharmacokinetics
at an early stage for phenotypically active series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Thomas
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Manu De Rycker
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J Wall
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Spinks
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Ola Epemolu
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Sujatha Manthri
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Suzanne Norval
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Osuna-Cabello
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Patterson
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Riley
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Frederick R C Simeons
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Laste Stojanovski
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - John Thomas
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Thompson
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Naylor
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Jose M Fiandor
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos 28760, Spain
| | - Paul G Wyatt
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Marco
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos 28760, Spain
| | - Susan Wyllie
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin D Read
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy J Miles
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos 28760, Spain
| | - Ian H Gilbert
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
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50
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Martín-Escolano R, Martín-Escolano J, Ballesteros-Garrido R, Cirauqui N, Abarca B, Rosales MJ, Sánchez-Moreno M, Ballesteros R, Marín C. Repositioning of leishmanicidal [1,2,3]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridinium salts for Chagas disease treatment: Trypanosoma cruzi cell death involving mitochondrial membrane depolarisation and Fe-SOD inhibition. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2943-2954. [PMID: 32607710 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06779-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatidae is a family of unicellular parasites belonging to the phylum Euglenozoa, which are causative agents in high impact human diseases such as Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and African sleeping sickness. The impact on human health and local economies, together with a lack of satisfactory chemotherapeutic treatments and effective vaccines, justifies stringent research efforts to search for new disease therapies. Here, we present in vitro trypanocidal activity data and mode of action data, repositioning leishmanicidal [1,2,3]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridinium salts against Trypanosoma cruzi, the aetiological agent of Chagas disease. This disease is one of the most neglected tropical diseases and is a major public health issue in Central and South America. The disease affects approximately 6-7 million people and is widespread due to increased migratory movements. We screened a suite of leishmanicidal [1,2,3]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridinium salt compounds, of which compounds 13, 20 and 21 were identified as trypanocidal drugs. These compounds caused cell death in a mitochondrion-dependent manner through a bioenergetic collapse. Moreover, compounds 13 and 20 showed a remarkable inhibition of iron superoxide dismutase activity of T. cruzi, a key enzyme in the protection from the damage produced by oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Javier Martín-Escolano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Rafael Ballesteros-Garrido
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Avda. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nuria Cirauqui
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69367, Lyon Cedex 07, France
| | - Belén Abarca
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Avda. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - María José Rosales
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Sánchez-Moreno
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Rafael Ballesteros
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Avda. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. Granada), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada/University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain.
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